Hyrule High (Until I Find A Better Name)
by CheshireWerecat
Summary: Zelda x Link
1. Chapter 1 - First Day

CHAPTER 1 – FIRST DAY

Zelda trudged through the snow towards the enormous castle looming up into the sky before her.  
Hyrule High: her new high school and her new home.

Her black combat boots crunched loudly with each step and her breaths puffed out in small clouds of mist. It was undoubtedly one of the most prestigious high schools in the world, founded by the old Hylian royal family a few hundreds of years ago, but Zelda couldn't bring herself to feel excited.

She didn't.

Being a daughter of the school's chairman, and Goth on top of that made her a target for bullies. It didn't matter what school she went to.

Which is why, she told herself, she would keep low, be invisible, stay out of sight. Teachers from her previous schools were often only reminded of her existence during exams at the end of the year and even then none of them could put a name to her. That was good. She could manage that. She liked it that way, _wanted_ it that way.

She reached the enormous double doors and gazed at them for a while, overwhelmed by their sheer size and grandeur.

They towered above her, dark wood and decorated with old, detailed and intricate carvings of images and scenes from history. Zelda reached for the enormous metal ring. But her hand froze in mid-reach.

What if she couldn't keep to the shadows? Then the bullies would surely find her. Her chest felt tight with anxiety, but she willed herself to be brave. She had to be. She took a deep breath before closing her hand over the ring and pulling the giant door towards her.

Closing her eyes, Zelda stepped inside. She was immediately greeted by warmth, but when she opened her eyes, everyone was staring at her. They all appeared to have stopped what they had previously been doing. She wasn't sure of what to do, so she simply stared back and it only took a few minutes before the students seemed to forget about her and move back to completing whatever tasks they had been doing before.

Zelda sighed with relief and closed the door behind her. She scanned the great entrance hall, all ancient stone and lit by giant chandeliers. The modern, red metal lockers that lined some of the walls seemed obnoxiously out of place, but Zelda took comfort from the familiarity.

She pulled a crumpled piece of paper out of her coat's pocket and attempted to smooth it out enough for the printed font to be legible. She needed to find her room in the girls' dormitories.

It was early evening, which meant that the school day had already finished and she still had a couple of hours before dinner. There were directions on the piece of paper, so Zelda read the first one out.

"Take the first set of stairs," she quoted and searched the hall. She didn't have to look very far since a fairly short, but very wide and large stone staircase stood parallel to the entrance doors. From there, there were two thinner staircases leading up in opposite directions.

There were also tall rectangular archways on either side of Zelda, but she doubted the staircase she was looking for was through either of those.

"Then take the next staircase on the left," she read and looked up again. That was a start at least. She set forward towards stairs.

No one seemed to pay her any mind and Zelda nearly smiled until she passed a particular group of pretty girls leaning against the row of lockers to the left of the first staircase. The main girl, Zelda could obviously tell she was the leader, was tall, slender with dark red hair and icy blue eyes. She looked Zelda up and down, whispered something to the others, causing them all to start sniggering.

Zelda froze; she knew their kind. She should have known that it was only a matter of time before they found her…

The redhead starting walking towards her, a nasty smile plastered onto her face. Zelda didn't know what to do; she felt like she had been turned into stone. She wanted to run, but she couldn't. The redhead had nearly reached her.

Someone grabbed Zelda by the arm, jerking her roughly out of the way of the redhead's path. A new redhead, equally tall, if not taller. She put one arm around Zelda's shoulders, keeping her tightly at her side. She used her other arm to give the first redhead her middle finger, mouthing 'fuck off' with a smirk.

The first redhead stopped in her tracks. She scowled at them before stalking back over to her group. The group shot them dirty looks before moving off through the archway on the left.

Zelda watched them go before looking up at her saviour. The girl winked at her, releasing her before running her fingers through her firey red hair. It wasn't as dark as the first girl's; it was brighter and more of an orangey-red, like flames.

"That was a close one, newbie," she grinned and glanced at where the group had gone with a scowl, "They love their fresh meat."

Zelda shuddered at the thought and the girl threaded their arms, moving towards the staircase and dragging a surprised Zelda with her.

"You were headed to the dorms right?"

"How did you know that?"

The girl shrugged. "Lucky guess."

"Oh."

Zelda didn't know what else to say.

"I'm Midna by the way," the girl said, rescuing Zelda from an awkward silence. She winked again. "Don't wear it out."

Zelda found herself speechless again, because for the first time, someone was actually being nice to her. Someone she didn't even know was being kind to her.

"I'm Zelda."

Midna led her up the next flight of stairs and down corridor after corridor until they reached a long spiralling staircase that took them up to the girls' dormitory. It was at the top of one of the castle's tall narrow towers, narrow in comparison to the rest, but still enormous.

Midna finally released Zelda and placed her hands on her hips, surveying the corridor lined on either side by ornate wooden doors.

"So which one's yours?" she gave Zelda a questioning glance, "Do you know?"

Zelda looked down at the piece of paper she still had in her hand. She frowned.

"It just says: 'End of hallway'."

Midna mouthed a silent 'oh'. She gave Zelda a strange look.

"So _you're_ the princess of the castle."

Zelda blanched.

" _What?_ "

"The chairman's daughter," Midna shrugged, "That room's been reserved for you."

Zelda sighed. Typical of her father, always treating her as though she were above the other students, only because she was _his_ daughter and not someone else's.

Midna pointed at the two rooms adjacent to Zelda's.

"Those rooms are also for special cases. Mine's the one on the left," she grinned at Zelda, "That makes us neighbours, newbie."

"Special cases?" Zelda looked at Midna questioningly. Who was this girl?

Midna noticed and shrugged. "I'm kinda the princess of the Twilight Vale and whatever."

She was royalty? Zelda didn't know what to say. She would never have guessed that Midna was royalty. She'd never been in the presence of royalty before. Would she have to act differently? Speak a certain way? She didn't know what to do.

"Should I be… bowing to you?"

Midna pulled a face. "What? No. Ew, don't do that."

And that was that.

Midna grabbed Zelda by the arm again and dragged her forwards.

"Don't just stand there; let's go check out your room."

"Okay."

Her room was large, but not enormous. There furniture was old, ornate and wooden, pretty with a double four poster bed, a desk and wardrobe.

"All the rooms actually look like this," Midna noted, looking around, "It's just that ours are a tad larger. But not by much."

She winked at Zelda, "So we're not _that_ special, see?"

Zelda took the time to really look at Midna.

She was pretty. Her hair was short in a pixie cut that suited her delicate impish features and her skin was incredibly pale. It made sense because she was from the Twilight Vale and the sun never touched there.

Like Zelda, Midna dressed in all black: black skinny-jeans, a black tee and black boots. She had tattoos too, on her arms. They were a mixture of swirling and geometric black lines that intertwined with one another.

Zelda thought they were really cool.

"Let's get some food," Midna hooted and dragged Zelda back out the room.

The cafeteria was enormous. It had to have been. It would have hosted enormous feasts and parties, fed armies, way back in the past

Zelda let Midna lead the way, weaving their way through rows of circular wooden tables.

Zelda saw the first redhead, being fawned over by her 'followers' and seated next to a boy that made Zelda stop in her tracks.

The redhead was hanging on him, she was all over him, but he barely spared her a glance. He looked sullen, moody, irritable. He was gorgeous, golden-haired and blue-eyed. His features were delicate, like Midna's, almost elfish.

Midna noticed where Zelda was looking and pulled a disgusted face.

"That's Malon and her herd of sheep."

"And the boy?"

Midna rolled her eyes.

"Link. Her tool-of-a-boyfriend."

"Oh."

Zelda didn't know why she felt so disappointed in him. She didn't even know him! But still… She gave him one last glance before following Midna again. She could have sworn he had looked up at her, at the last minute, but she doubted it. Why would he?

Midna pointed at the last table, the one right in the corner of the room, with a satisfied smirk on her face.

"That's where we sit, Zellie."

There were three people already seated there and they all gave Zelda reassuring smiles. The two girls did anyway; the boy didn't smile but tilted his head with acknowledgement.

Each girl had dyed her hair a fairly outrageous colour, one blue and one emerald green. The boy had black hair, but he looked strikingly like Midna, with the same skin tone and the same unnaturally red eyes, though his were flecked with yellow.

They reached the table and Midna cleared her throat.

"Guys, this is Zellie. She's new, so be nice."

The green-haired girl smiled. "I'm Saria."

"I'm Ruto," the other girl said.

"That's my cousin, Zant," Midna introduced the boy for him as he didn't really seem inclined to speak and Zelda nodded with understanding. It made sense.

"He dyed his hair black," Midna whispered in her ear, "The traitor." Zelda laughed and tried to picture Zant with Midna's firey red hair.

" _OH MY GOOOOD!_ "

They all turned to face the source of the scream and Midna burst out into raucous laughter, because standing and covered with food, was Malon. A few of her sheep were frantically trying to sooth the redhead's hysteria and at least attempt to control some of the mess. Link just watched the scene in front of him with a bored expression.

"I wonder how that happened," Zant finally spoke and Ruto pointed with a smirk to where a tiny girl with silver hair darted lithely from the scene, easily disappearing into the rapidly growing crowd of students.

"Navi, bless her," Midna wiped her eyes, unable to contain her mirth at seeing Malon suffer.

It wasn't long before the silver-haired Navi suddenly appeared at their table and flicked her fringe from her eyes.

"Hey," she grinned, craning her head to the side and tapping her ear, "Listen."

Malon wailed again, completely melodramatic, making it a much bigger crisis than it really was. If anyone could bring the cafeteria to a standstill, it was Malon. The table laughed.

"How'd you do it?" Ruto demanded and Navi flicked a strand of hair over her shoulder.

"I tripped a sheep. Her tray went _flying_ ," she smirked, "It found its target. I didn't know who it would hit but I'm _so glad_ it hit _her_."

Zelda just smiled, feeling uncharacteristically content. She enjoyed just sitting quietly through dinner, smiling and enjoying her new friends' banter and antics. None of them judged her, none of them questioned her, and that was all Zelda ever needed.

It was something she had never had before.

"… hey, Zellie are you even listening?" Midna gently shook Zelda out of her busy thoughts by the shoulders, chuckling at the brunette's stunned expression. The others were looking at her too.

"Oh, sorry," Zelda blushed, expecting judgement, a scolding, a slap. She flinched, waiting and Midna's eyes widened with surprise before she immediately frowned with concern, seeming to recognize Zelda's reaction and exactly what Zelda was thinking in an instant.

"Hey, Zellie," she said softly, gently keeping her hands on Zelda's shoulders, "No one here's going to do that to you. You don't have to be afraid of that anymore, okay?"

"We'll protect you."

Zelda didn't know what to say, what to think. Only that Midna's words and the kind expressions on the faces of the others, even Zant, had hit her like a sledgehammer to the chest. She felt tears threatening to overflow. Normally she wouldn't have cared what others thought; she felt as though she had been impervious to the opinions of others after being bullied for so long. But here, for the first time, someone was offering to protect her instead. It was the complete opposite to what she was used to.

It was overwhelming.

"Thank you."


	2. Chapter 2 - Archer

CHAPTER 2 - ARCHER

"Welcome to beginners' weapons training," the trainer smiled warmly at Zelda, who continued to stand uncertainly in the doorway of the armoury, eyeing the other students who were all training with some weapon or other, until an impatient Midna shoved her into the enormous room.

"You can't bunk class, Zellie."

Zelda swallowed and followed Midna and her new trainer over to a long table laden with every kind of weapon available.

She just stared, unsure of what she was expected to do. Was this a quiz of some sort? Was she supposed to name them all? Identify the fake ones?

"You need to choose one, Zellie," Midna whispered into her ear and Zelda's eyes darted over every gleaming device.

"How am I supposed to know which one to choose?"

The trainer smiled reassuringly.

"Is there one you've had previous experience with? That's usually a good place to start."

"Oh."

Something clicked and Zelda's eyes immediately settled over a weapon. She walked down along the edge of the table and picked the large gleaming bow up gently.

"This one," she whispered and Midna's eyebrows shot up.

"You're an archer?"

Zelda nodded. She had been shooting arrows since the age of four. But it had been years since she'd actually used a bow, let alone picked one up.

"Lovely choice," the trainer sang and Midna grinned and ruffled Zelda's hair affectionately, "Well then, it looks like my job here's done." She started heading towards the door. "I'll see you later, Zellie."

Zelda frowned with confusion.

"Where're you going? Don't you have class here now too?"

Midna shook her head with an amused expression.

"I'm _advanced_ weapons training. Mine's an evening class, so I'll see you around." She winked at Zelda one last time before disappearing back through the door.

"Come, sweetie, let's get you started," the trainer guided Zelda by the shoulders towards target upon target, in every size and shape. Some were hanging from the roof, others were standing on the ground. She handed Zelda a quiver of arrows.

"The first step is to not be afraid of it. And to accept it as just another extension of your arm," the trainer said gently, "Can you nock an arrow for me?" Zelda did as she was asked, trying to ignore the fact that the trainer was talking to her like a small child. Or maybe it was just because she had already gone through this process, many years ago.

"It's okay if you don't even hit the target the first time," the trainer tried to sound reassuring, but Zelda just thought she sounded annoying and released her arrow, watching as it hit the bullseye dead centre with satisfaction.

The trainer immediately fell silent, suddenly contemplating, and she looked at Zelda wearily, as though she were seeing her in a completely different light.

"Can you do that again?" she asked in a low voice and Zelda nocked another arrow, raising the bow and aimed, released, and watched as her arrow pierced straight through the first, splitting the first arrow in two. Zelda didn't miss the trainer's sharp intake of breath.

"Hit that one!" she suddenly exclaimed, pointing to one of the targets hanging from the ceiling. "Quickly!"

Zelda nocked an arrow and released, out of instinct more than anything else. There hadn't been time to think and process.

"Hit that one!"

Zelda released another arrow.

"That one! That one! And that one!"

Zelda allowed the trainer's pointing arm to be her compass, releasing arrows instantly in the direction the arm pointed to.

"Faster!" the trainer exclaimed and soon Zelda was releasing arrows without pause. Until her quiver ran out.

By the end of it, both her a _nd_ the trainer were panting heavily. The room had fallen silent. All the other students had stopped what they had been doing and were all looking at her. Zelda surveyed the targets. Each one had an arrow pierced through it, dead centre, perfect.

"I think," the trainer said between breaths, her eyes disbelieving and incredulous.

"You're in the wrong class."

"So you were moved to advanced? Just like that?" Navi looked impressed, "That's fucking badass, Newbie."

Zelda blushed, unused to receiving praise.

Midna raised a sly eyebrow, "So there's more to you than meets the eye." Zant nodded at his cousin.

"She's dangerous," he agreed in his quiet voice, but Zelda couldn't tell if it was a compliment or not. It was actually hard to tell anything when it came to Zant. He barely spoke, only when he felt like it, and his face was often grave or weary, though Zelda wasn't sure why. He was stoic and gentle though, kind, and probably the only boy Zelda had ever felt comfortable around.

They were all seated closely around a short-legged table in the adjoined common room for the both the girls' and boys' dorms.

"But why didn't you just say you were a master archer _before_ they put you in beginners'?" Ruto asked and Zelda shrugged awkwardly. "I hadn't picked up a bow in years. I'd just figured I'd forgotten how to use one."

"A prodigy," Midna grinned, proudly, and Zelda blushed again.

To say that advanced weapons training was completely different to beginners' was an understatement. The trainer was terrifying and unsympathetic, and Zelda was now no longer the only one able to use their weapon to its full capabilities. It was so cool.

The students worked in pairs, sparring with one another to master using their weapons in different ways. Zelda stepped into the armoury, Midna at her side. The others, excluding Zant who didn't take this particular class, were in intermediate so it was just the two of them amongst a sea of strangers, for Zelda at least.

"Is this the archer?" the trainer demanded loudly, gruffly, suddenly appearing out of nowhere. He was enormous and tall and completely intimidating. Zelda gulped.

"Yeah," Midna answered for her, because Zelda had suddenly lost the ability to form words. The trainer nodded at Zelda with approval.

"You're the first one we've had in a while," he told her before looking at Midna. "You partner up with, Goth. I want to see you actually sparring with someone for a change."

"Yes, coach," Midna saluted him with a cheeky smile, but the trainer just walked away to go yell at some others. It took Zelda a moment to realise that he had meant _her_ when he said 'Goth'.

Midna strode forwards.

"Let's do this, Zellie."

"Okay."

Zelda moved to fetch her bow and a quiver of arrows before joining Midna again. The taller girl had a long whip wrapped around her waist. It looked like it was made of some kind of metal.

"It's made of electrum," Midna answered Zelda's questioning gaze and Zelda blinked with surprise.

"You fight with a whip?"

"Sexy right?" Midna smirked and then suddenly, with one subtle movement of her wrist, the whip was uncoiled and trailed across the floor.

"Get ready and wait for the whistle!" The trainer barked and Zelda and Midna got into position with the rest of the students.

The whistle went and the room erupted into a chaos of sound. Zelda didn't hesitate. She nocked an arrow and let loose. It didn't make it very far before Midna's whip caught it and split it clean in half with a powerful crack. The redhead grinned cockily and Zelda grinned back. She fired another arrow; Midna stopped it.

Like before, Zelda was soon firing arrows again without pause, racing forwards and backwards, matching Midna's movements as she gracefully twirled across the floor, manipulating the whip with fluid ease, as though it were just an extension of her arm. It almost looked like a living thing. Zelda was reminded of what her previous trainer had said. It almost looked as though Midna was dancing.

Neither girl actually managed to make a hit on the other but by the end, when both girls were panting and sweating from their efforts, Zelda realised that she had never had so much fun in her life.

Midna cracked her knuckles and stretched her shoulders.

"You weren't kidding," she said as they made to put their weapons away again, "You're incredible."

Zelda thought that _Midna_ had actually been the incredible one…

"Thanks."

Zelda mounted her bow back up on the wall dedicated to archery weapons, crossbows and the like. When she turned so took the time to observe the other pairs that were still sparring.

Her eyes fell on two familiar figures: Link wielding a sword, and Malon wielding an enormous war hammer. Both were deadly focused on their battle, and neither looked as though they were having fun at all. But the precision, speed and expertise of their movements was beautiful to Zelda and she envied them.

Midna found where Zelda was looking and sniffed.

"We were better."

Zelda laughed.

The sparring match ended after Link managed to send Malon's hammer flying, leaving him the victor.

"You beat me so now you have to make it up to me," she pouted before smirking and suddenly pulling Link to her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and the two then proceeded to makeout roughly.

Zelda felt her face heat up and stared, transfixed. She was too stunned to look away. Midna looked revolted.

"Oh for fuck's sakes, this _again_?"

"This is an armoury, not a bedroom!" the trainer barked and the two leisurely pulled apart. Malon smirked, "I'll be sure to remember that for next time, coach."

The trainer didn't look as though he knew how to respond to that and told the two off for a little while before stalking off. Midna explained the reason for the trainer's leniency after, that Link was actually the trainer's favourite, and that there was no way that he would ever actually get in trouble with him. Though the price of that was that he was extremely harsh on Link's performance in training.

As they prepared to move onto their next class, Malon came up beside Zelda.

"Hey, Goth girl. Next time you should close your mouth. Some might think you've never kissed a boy before," she sneered before dragging Link away after her.

Zelda blinked and Midna hissed.

"Like that hoe even knows anything about you. You've totally kissed boys before, haven't you, Zellie?"

Zelda only shook her head with sinking feeling.

"Actually… I haven't…"


	3. Chapter 3 - Blooming

CHAPTER 3 - BLOSSOMING

The weeks slowly passed, and Zelda found herself finally getting into the rhythm of things. She now knew where most of everything was throughout the castle and recognised familiar faces in the hallways.

Her confidence was slowly blossoming too. She was slowly becoming more formidable in weapons training, particularly at hand-to-hand combat. No one bullied her, well except for Malon and her sheep, but she bullied everyone and Zelda knew how to avoid her. She wasn't confident enough to be confrontational yet. It helped that Midna and the others were often with her too because the vindictive redhead tended to avoid them as a group.

But trouble can never be avoided permanently, and it was towards the middle of Zelda's fifth week that she was finally ambushed.

It was late; Zelda had been studying at the library. The others had long since given up and gone to bed, but Zelda persevered. However, when it hit midnight she finally organised her books and stood up.

"I'd rather you remained sitting, Goth girl."

Zelda froze at the sensation of knowing that someone was standing directly behind her and obeyed, slowly sitting down again. She gulped when Malon slowly moved out from behind her, around the table to sit in the chair opposite to her.

She grinned, catlike, like a predator.

"I thought the others would _never_ leave. It's the only way I can get you alone so we can… talk. Girl to girl."

"Girl to girl," Zelda echoed, confused, never sure of what Malon's intentions were. The redhead rested her elbows on the table and rested her chin on intertwined fingers.

"I need you to tutor my boyfriend."

"What?"

Annoyance flickered across Malon's face.

"Are you slow? I said I need you to tutor my boyfriend. You know, Link? Blonde, tall, hottest guy in the school?"

"I know who he is," Zelda managed and Malon nodded slightly with approval.

"Good. His grades aren't looking so good at the moment and I've noticed that yours are just… impeccable," she muttered the last part like she didn't want to admit that Zelda was actually good at something, "So I need you to tutor him. Starting tomorrow, after night classes."

Zelda didn't know what to do, what to say. She wasn't afraid, not anymore, but she was nervous, very nervous.

"I-"

"Will you do it?" Malon snapped, obviously impatient, "'Cause listen, Goth, I don't have all night to wait for an answer." She narrowed her eyes and Zelda panicked.

"I'll do it."

Malon grinned with satisfaction.

"Very good."

Then the redhead stood and left without saying another word, leaving Zelda to gape after her.

"Well… there's no harm in it," Midna said after a while, having contemplated Zelda's story the next day. "Lord knows it could do him some good."

"Maybe she can turn him back onto the path of Good and Righteousness," Navi called from over her shoulder, having listened in on their conversation from where she was seated at a table next to Zant, studying for one of her many extra subjects. Ruto was nowhere to be seen.

Midna rolled her eyes, "Wouldn't Malon be thrilled." Navi sniggered at the redhead's comment before turning back to Zant and the two continued working. The group was gathered in the co-ed common room linking the two dorms. Zelda, Midna and Saria were seated on various couches around a central coffee table

"Zelda, you're allowed to say no too, you know," Saria said gently and Zelda looked down at her hands, clasped tightly in her lap.

"I panicked. I-I guess I'm just not used to having a choice," she admitted before looking up again, "But I'll do it. I don't mind." Midna shrugged.

"Well, then. The girl's made up her mind."

It was just after 10pm that Zelda found herself making her way to the library with Midna at her side in order to fulfil her promise to Malon, and with each step Zelda felt more and more certain that she had made a mistake in agreeing.

"Zellie, you look like you're about to fall over," Midna finally said as the enormous dark mahogany doors of the library came into view and Zelda released a breath she hadn't even realised she'd been holding.

"I've never tutored anyone before." The redhead's expression suddenly darkened.

"This whole arrangement is a load of bullshit. Link shouldn't need a tutor."

Zelda blinked at her friend with surprise, surprised at her sudden change in demeanour and uncharacteristic animosity. She'd been cheerful, playful only moments ago.

"Why shouldn't Link need a tutor?" Zelda didn't understand and Midna sighed, sounding exasperated, though at whom Zelda couldn't be sure. The redhead's voice dropped to a conspiratorial tone.

"The thing is, Link's hella smart. Smart enough to compete even with you, Zellie," she rolled her eyes and crossed her arms, "The only thing he lacks is motivation, drive, purpose, whatever you want to call it, except maybe in weapons training."

Zelda frowned, startled, surprised at the new information, "But-"

"Knock 'em dead, Zellie," Midna didn't give her a chance to reply before she was suddenly ushered through the library's enormous doors. The redhead pulled a face, "Especially if you see Malon. Feel free to knock _her_ dead."

Zelda giggled but stopped right in her tracks and blinked. Link was already there, seated at a table, a mountain of textbooks stacked high in a tower to his right. He was gazing disinterestedly down into a book already opened in front of him; if anything, he looked like he was sulking. Zelda realised he looked exactly the way he had when she'd first laid eyes upon him in the cafeteria on her first day: sullen, moody, irritable. Completely gorgeous. Unapproachable…

She gulped.

"Yeah, good luck with that one," Midna said dryly, raising an eyebrow in the direction Zelda was looking and shooting Link a disgusted look, "Looks like you'll need it. See ya later, Zellie!" She ruffled Zelda's hair affectionately before turning on her heel and then Zelda found herself on her own.

She sighed but squared her shoulders and forced herself to be brave, or to at least _appear_ to be brave; she strode forward to Link's table, stopping in front of him.

"Hey…Link," she said awkwardly and he didn't look up, made no acknowledgement of her and Zelda frowned.

"Um, did Malon tell you-"

"I know why you're here. I wouldn't be here otherwise" he cut her off, only then deciding to speak and Zelda took a seat beside him, feeling slighted and a flash of annoyance, but she didn't voice either.

"Well, which subjects do you need tutoring in?"

"All of them," he deadpanned and Zelda blinked, unsure of how to respond, remembering Midna's surprising words. She glanced down at the open textbook in front of him, immediately recognising its contents: Mathematics.

"Should we start with Maths?"

"Whatever."

Zelda blinked again at his lack of interest, though Midna had warned her; his whole _demeanour_ had warned her. She dropped her eyes, feeling her cheeks flush, feeling foolish. Being next to Link was so awkward; he was nothing like Zant and Zelda had little to no experience on even being in the same _presence_ as boys, which she had always avoided in the past and-

"Stop this," she chided herself under her breath so that Link couldn't hear, "You're not like that anymore."

Zelda straightened in her seat and pulled the open textbook closer to her, inspecting the pages further while Link watched her wordlessly.

"Can you attempt this question?" Zelda pointed to the question on the page and Link simply nodded in response, completing the sum silently in almost no time at all and when Zelda scanned it she frowned because it was,

"Correct," she murmured, looking sideways at him sceptically. "Do this one," she pointed at a more difficult one which Link also managed to complete, flawlessly and in almost no time at all.

"Right again," she frowned again. Midna's words were proving to be more and more truthful.

"Okay," Zelda flitted through the pages in search of a more difficult exercise; she finally pointed to the last exercise of that chapter. "Complete this exercise."

Link pulled the book back to him and set to work, like a robot, Zelda thought as she watched him, rigid and cold. She took the time to study him; he was too concentrated on his task to notice her staring.

His skin was like pale gold…

It didn't take long before Link set his pen down and looked up at her, meeting her gaze momentarily before looking away again. He wordlessly handed the paper he'd been working on to Zelda.

Her brow furrowed as she scanned his answers; there wasn't a single answer that he got wrong.

"They're all correct," she breathed, and Link shrugged. "I thought they'd be." Zelda scowled at his arrogant answer.

"I don't get it. Why am I here then?"

Link's face gave away nothing and he turned his icy gaze ahead of him again; his voice was almost monotonous, emotionless. It was unnerving.

"Because my grades aren't… good," he muttered, but Zelda wasn't buying it; it made absolutely no sense. Every question she'd presented to him hadn't posed any problem to him at all; he'd conquered them all, without hesitation or contemplation, even the most difficult question, for that particular section, in the entire textbook.

"You just got the hardest question in the book right," she pressed and Link looked back at her, face eerily blank. She wondered why he always had that stiff mask on, when he took it off, if he _ever_ took it off.

"I don't see your point."

Zelda bit her lip and looked away, unsure of how to respond. The only conclusion she could come to was that Link was, for some unfathomable reason or other, somehow holding himself back. And she didn't know how to help him.

"Out of ideas?" he asked coolly; he was watching her with a bored expression on his face and Zelda dropped her eyes, her mind racing. How could she help someone who didn't appear to need help at all?

"Do you ever do your homework?" she asked suddenly and Link blinked at her, actually looking taken aback, before he frowned.

"I have better things to do," he said shortly and Zelda was certain she had just identified part of the problem.

"Can I give you homework?" she asked nervously and Link sighed, sounding annoyed. He ran his fingers through his hair.

"Whatever. Fine."

"Will you actually do it?" Link just stared at her in response and Zelda felt her cheeks flush.

"Okay," she exhaled, another a breath she hadn't realised she'd been holding, before returning to the textbook.

"Let's look at another section…"


	4. Chapter 4 - Revelations

CHAPTER 4 - REVELATIONS

"DUCK, GOTH!" Ganon roared and Zelda's body reacted immediately, dropping lithely out of harm's way as Malon brought her enormous hammer down with so much force that it left a crater in the flagstones.

"What the fuck was that?! Is she trying to kill her?!" Midna yelled from the sidelines, but the coach ignored her, too engrossed in the match and Zelda leapt backwards to gain some distance from her opponent, panting, trying to catch her breath. A nasty smile was plastered across Malon's face.

"Getting tired, runt?" she panted, clearly enjoying the evening's assignment and Zelda grimaced, quickly running her fingers through her hair to brush her sweaty fringe from her eyes. Malon was strong; she wielded that enormous instrument like it weighed nothing. But Zelda was fast.

The evening's assignment was to pit each student, weaponless, against an armed opponent and Midna would have been Zelda's preferred partner had Malon not beaten the taller girl to it. She'd been _more_ than enthusiastic in volunteering to chase Zelda around with a deadly weapon and Zelda cursed to herself.

By the end of the match every muscle in Zelda's body was screaming in furious protest. Malon really hadn't held back, and Zelda was feeling the aftermath.

"Linky, did you see me?" Malon flounced over to where Link was putting away his sword and draped herself around him. "Did I look hot?"

"Yeah," he answered, sounding bored if anything and Zelda cringed before she froze, suddenly feeling a body pressed against her back, a mouth at her ear.

"Zellie," Midna whispered, "Did you see me?" Zelda burst out laughing and turned to face her towering friend who battered her eyelashes dramatically.

"Did I look hot?" she simpered, mocking Malon and Zelda shook her head, grinning widely, though Midna _had_ looked spectacular twirling and 'dancing' with her whip a little while ago.

"Let's head back to the dorms. I feel gross and am in _serious_ need of a shower," Midna pulled a face and Zelda agreed, her muscles craving the soothing touch of hot water. The two girls put their weapons away and moved to leave. Malon was screaming hysterically at one of her sheep, the poor girl cowering and crying, while the redhead's body remained pressed against Link's, who simply watched the scene blankly as his girlfriend tore viciously and mercilessly into the girl with her words.

"She's in one of her _moods_ again," Midna cast Malon a dark look as the pair passed the couple. "Watch out for that one, Zellie."

Zelda looked at Midna incredulously and a cheeky grin spread across the redhead's mouth.

"Okay, stupid me. Obviously _you_ know that," Midna rolled her eyes, still grinning and Zelda couldn't help but grin back at her friend.

Navi met them in one of the corridors, also on her way back to the dorms, but from Astronomy as opposed to weapons training and the trio shared their day's events as they walked together.

"Hey, listen, so are we all hanging out in the common room tonight?" the silver-haired girl asked and Midna nodded while Zelda regretfully had to shake her head. "I can't."

The small girl shot her a questioning look and Zelda smiled apologetically.

"I'm tutoring Link."

"You've been tutoring Tool-of-the-school for over a week now. Have his grades even improved at all?" Navi rolled her eyes and Zelda paused.

"Actually," she thought back, "I think they have."

"She isn't wrong," Midna nodded and crossed her arms, "Probably why Red Hammer hasn't pestered you about it."

They finally reached the dorm and, after showering and replacing her training gear with regular clothes, Zelda had to say goodbye to her friends as she made her way all the way back to the library.

xxx

After another long night of working, Zelda and Link exited the library. But Zelda froze in her tracks, because waiting for them and casually leaning against a large stone pillar was a familiar figure.

"Oh look, the little Goth girl," Malon sneered, "You better not being trying to make a move on my boyfriend."

Link automatically moved to the redhead's side. Zelda's eyes widened.

"I-"

"Did she try to make a move on you, Linky?" Malon cut her off, sickeningly sweet, wrapping her arms around Link's torso.

"Is she trying to take you away from me?" she purred and Link sighed.

"No," he answered blandly, and Malon almost looked disappointed with his answer. "Oh. Well," she sniffed, "Good then."

"Don't you have anything better to do than pick on girls who are prettier than you, Malon?" Midna was suddenly at Zelda's side, with Navi right behind her.

Malon snarled at the insult and Zelda blinked with surprise, realising the Midna had just called her pretty.

"I was just fetching my _boyfriend_ ," Malon smiled nastily, "Something I'm sure none of you have at the moment?"

Midna promptly ignored her and shot Link a withering look.

"You know, Link. You could show a little gratitude to your tutor," she said dryly and Link looked away.

"Whatever."

Zelda felt her heart sink. She wasn't sure why though; she hadn't expected gratitude from him in the first place.

"This isn't your castle, _princess_ ," Malon smiled smugly, and her voice dripped with venom, "Maybe you should try and order someone that's _actually_ a peasant around."

"Oh fuck off, Malon. No one was talking to you anyway," Midna snapped, crossing her arms, "And if that's the way you're looking at things, then shouldn't _Link_ be the one calling the shots?"

Malon's face went white, then red.

"You have no idea what you're talking about," she snarled through clenched teeth. "Linky, tell her she's being a self-entitled royal bitch, and to stop being such a dick!" she hissed and Link sighed again, looking up at Midna.

"Midna, you're acting like a self-entitled royal bitch," he said in a low voice, "Stop being a dick."

A multitude of emotions flittered across the towering girl's face before it became eerily blank.

She was silent, and then-

"You are what you eat, I guess."

There was a stunned silence. Zelda wasn't sure if she had heard correctly, but her mouth had dropped open and she was gaping up at her friend. Navi just covered her mouth, to stop herself from laughing out loud, but her tiny frame was shaking with her supressed laughter.

"What?" Link finally said. He looked like he had just been slapped across the face because his cheeks had gone bright red.

" _What?!_ " Malon shrieked, furious that Midna had managed to blindside them all.

Midna smirked evilly and licked her lips.

"What?"

She gazed at Malon defiantly.

Malon snarled as she stalked off, defeated, dragging Link after her.

Zelda bristled as she watched them go. How could he allow her to manipulate him so easily?

"He has some nerve," Navi said in a low voice, but Midna waved it off and started walking. "It doesn't make any difference in my life."

Zelda fell back to walk next to the Silver-haired girl.

"What did you mean?"

Navi shrugged.

"It just disgusts me when he treats Midna like that."

"But isn't he like that with everyone? So why Midna in particular…" Zelda trailed off, worried that she might be told off for prying. But that wasn't the case apparently because Midna stopped suddenly and rounded on Zelda.

"I think it's time for an education intervention," she announced loudly.

"A what?" Zelda asked uncertainly, surprised.

"You'll see," Midna said, linking arms with Zelda and walking again.

They walked, Zelda constantly casting Midna curious looks, until they were suddenly in the sheltered courtyard. It wasn't cold from the winter snow outside, in fact, there wasn't any snow to be seen except for above them, where the glass roof caught it. The courtyard was paved with cobblestones to mark how old it was, and decorated with living trees and stone benches and tables.

Midna took a seat on a bench and Zelda and Navi followed her lead.

"Link and I go way back," Midna finally explained. "To when we were both still children."

Zelda wasn't sure what to say, or even just how to respond, so she kept silent. But her mind was racing. She would never have guessed that the two had known each other from any time other than high school. It seemed impossible to her from what she had just saw transpire between them. If they had known each then Link must of hid it well because he had treated Midna as little more than a stranger and-

"And being what I am, there are customs to follow, traditions to honour or some shit like that," Midna continued, breaking Zelda from her tangled thoughts, "Alliances need to be built, treaties need to be made, all that jazz. Which is why I was shipped off to live in one of the Hylian royal family's residences for a few years, as a sort of _envoy_. And that's where I met Link."

Zelda nearly choked on her own saliva and stopped, looking up at Midna in shock.

"Link's a member of the Hylian royal family?! Whose ancestors founded this school?!"

"Well, not by blood," Midna shrugged, and sighed, "Link was an orphan until the Hylians adopted him. But anyway, he had been the only one our age living there at that particular residence at the time. So when he met me it was like we instantly bonded. I think that's what our families wanted. We would have been bored out of our _minds_ if we hadn't."

"It must have been so lonely for him," Zelda murmured, because she knew what loneliness was. She had experienced it first hand, from when her mother had died when Zelda was nine up until meeting Midna now at the age of seventeen. She imagined a younger Link, sitting in the corner of some part of an enormous castle, insignificantly small and alone, being swallowed by the shadows and the vast enormity of what would have now been expected of him since becoming a member of a royal family. It must have been so foreign, so frightening, and so overwhelming for a child so young and unaccustomed to such things-

"Earth to Zellie," Midna laughed and Navi playfully shook Zelda's shoulders to wake her from her thoughtful daze.

"Oh. Sorry, I was just thinking about something," Zelda shook her head to clear it and Midna chuckled, continuing from where she had left off.

"We did everything together: we had our lessons together, ate together, played together, rode horses together, learned how to fight with traditional weapons, and explored the castle together. We even shared the same bed sometimes. He taught me to not be afraid of thunderstorms," Midna smiled at the memories before her expression darkened.

"But a few years pass quickly, and suddenly I was summoned to return back my home in the Twilight Vale. I had pleaded to stay, or to at least bring Link back with me as an envoy, but apparently my family already had one. They refused him because he wasn't a pureblood. I had to leave him behind…"

Midna ran her fingers through her hair.

"We were best friends before I had to move back to the Twilight Vale. When we met again here, it was like he'd never met me at all."

"You were that close?" Zelda was amazed and Midna shrugged.

"Yup. We've seen each other naked and everything."

Zelda blushed and Midna noticed with a smirk.

"Too much information?"

Navi laughed.

"In all honesty, I feel sorry for him," Midna sighed, "For getting roped in by Malon and them. It boggles my mind because the Link I remembered was a hero, someone that was so strong but…"

Midna sighed again.

"I guess time changes some people."

"So that's why Malon asked him to say that," Zelda said softly and Midna nodded.

"To hurt me."

"And didn't it?" Zelda asked, because the twilight princess's previous reaction would have stated otherwise and Midna shook her head, smiling sadly.

"Believe me, Zellie. It hurt like a bitch when we met again after all those years. But I'm impervious to it now," she flicked her fringe out of her eyes, "And believe me, Malon gave me a lot of practice, but God forbid I should ever give that hoe the satisfaction."

Zelda gazed at her friend with admiration, and hoped that one day she would be strong like that too.

"I'm so sorry."

Midna waved it off.

"Don't be. As I said before: it doesn't make any difference in my life."

xxx

As Zelda made her way back to her room from the bathroom, she couldn't help but stop in front of Midna's door. She could hear muffled noises coming from the other side. Curious, she pressed her ear to the wood, and felt nauseas.

Midna was crying, sobbing, weeping, loudly and earnestly and Zelda felt her heart break. Her friend had only been pretending to be carefree, but God forbid that Midna would allow herself to cry or show weakness in front of the others. Link had cut her deeply, and Midna's heart was bleeding. Zelda could hear it.

Zelda clenched her fists.

This was unforgivable…


	5. Chapter 5 - Truth

CHAPTER 5 - TRUTH

For the first time since Zelda had arrived at Hyrule High, she could actually say that she was completely alone. It wasn't a bad thing however and Zelda smiled, because it wasn't permanent, only temporary. Having that reassurance was something she was unaccustomed to and it filled her veins with a golden warmth.

It was a sort of Midterm; all day classes were on break, but the night classes remained, which meant that Zelda had the whole day to herself.

Midna and Zant had been called back to the Twilight Vale a couple of days before, for a week due to matters regarding their royal status, family and lineage. Zelda could only guess that it had something to do with politics, but even Midna couldn't really give her a straight answer so she left it at that, wishing her friends well before they were driven away in expensive cars with tinted windows.

Navi and Saria were gone for the day, on an outing regarding their Astronomy and Divination classes, and Ruto seemed to spend less and less time with the group as the days went by, which meant that for the day, Zelda was one her own. She didn't mind, in fact she _welcomed_ it, because it meant that she could finally freely explore the castle and grounds without restraint.

The school was quieter, the castle emptier and Zelda wasn't sure whether she liked that or not. A few months ago she would have _craved_ it, but now… things were different; Zelda liked the constant energy, the constant activity, the connection that seemed to be felt between every single student, the way that she felt like she was actually a part of that connection.

The school wasn't completely empty however; there was still the odd student and small group scattered here and there and it was when Zelda eventually encountered a group of Malon's sheep, all looking lost and shooting Zelda hostile and weary looks, that she realised that Malon must have been gone for the day as well. The thought filled her with glee because she no longer had to worry about running into and having to deal with the vindictive redhead, or at least until later. Link was also nowhere to be seen, though Zelda hadn't really been looking for him. Because though the incident had been just over a week ago, the sound of Midna's weeping still echoed hauntingly through her mind at the thought of him.

She eventually found herself outside, trudging casually through the snow. The multiple layers she had on shielded her from the bitter cold and the crisp icy air was refreshing, making her feel more awake and energetic. The sky was grey and overcast, the sun hidden, casting the grounds in a dim light that felt mysterious.

The school's sports field came into view, the only green island in a vast ocean of white, and even then the grass was flecked and rigid with frost. Zelda enjoyed the sound and crunch of the grass under her boots as she trudged along to the centre of the great field. She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply.

The first drop landed on Zelda's nose and she looked up with surprise. Was it raining? The answer was yes. After a few more scattered drops Zelda found herself caught, in the middle of the school's sports field, in a violent downpour of freezing water mixed with ferocious frosty wind and snow.

It hadn't even been raining for over a minute and Zelda was already soaked through to the bone. Scared of the thought of hyperthermia or frostbite, she took off at a sprint in the direction of a structure that she could barely make out through the sudden chaotic weather.

She ducked under the roof of some small bench area and caught her breath, shivering from the cold. Her breath puffed out in small white clouds. She looked around and saw…

"Link?"

The golden-haired boy looked up from where he was seated on the floor, despite there being at least three benches there for his choosing. He had a sword laid out across his lap, with a deep blue hilt and long silvery blade, and a whetstone in one hand.

"Oh. It's you."

He sounded less than thrilled to see Zelda. Actually, he didn't sound like anything at all and Zelda rolled her eyes.

"Yeah," she said dryly, "It's me."

There was silence, all but for the sound of the rain beyond the roof's protection. Zelda wanted the rain to stop. She was freezing and her clothes felt unbearably heavy due to being soaked with water. All she wanted was to make it back to the castle and change. She rubbed her arms in a weak attempt to warm herself, knowing that she was wearing too many layers for it to be of any help.

"You're name's Zelda right?" Link broke the silence with his emotionless voice and Zelda looked at him curiously, frowning when she saw him suddenly pull his hoodie over his head.

"Yeah?" she answered wearily.

"Put this on."

He held out his hoodie, and Zelda looked at the emerald green item of clothing incredulously before meeting his gaze sceptically. Was _Link_ , 'Tool-of-the-school' in Navi's words, being a gentleman? He was a complete asshole if Zelda remembered anything from her past encounters with him and yet, he had taken off his hoodie in the dead of snowy winter to give to her.

Zelda took it wordlessly and Link went back to sharpening his blade. His arms were tanned and toned with muscle and Zelda had to tear her gaze away from the calmingly precise rhythm of him drawing the whetstone across the edges of the weapon over and over.

"Don't look," she said and his hand paused in mid-motion. He looked up at her with a mild expression.

"What?"

Zelda crossed her arms, shivering.

"I have to take all of this wet stuff off. So don't look."

A faint shade of pink touched Link's cheeks, but other than that, his face remained unreadable.

"Whatever," he turned back to honing his blade. Zelda rolled her eyes and turned her back to him, shrugging off her sopping wet parker jacket and letting it drop to the floor. She then, hoping that Link wasn't looking, but doubting that he actually would, pulled her jumper and T-shirt over her head together and let them join her jacket on the floor.

Her bra was damp too, but there was no way she was taking it off. So she simply pulled Link's hoodie over her head, and hoped that it would dry.

The hoodie was still warm from Link's body and Zelda hugged herself to savour it, because it was cooling down quickly. It wasn't long before she was cold again, not as cold as before, but still cold. She wasn't sure how Link wasn't even shivering at least. He had skin exposed and it was still snowing _and_ raining outside.

A powerful gust of icy wind hit them both from all sides and Zelda felt her teeth chatter. Link didn't even flinch. Zelda frowned. It was look he was just a body with no soul, cold and unfeeling. It annoyed her. She remembered the way he had treated Midna, the devastating sound of her friend's sobs. Link had known what Malon had intended. She had wanted to make Midna hurt, wanted the insult to come from the one person who could hurt Midna the most. And Link had done exactly what she wanted. It made Zelda want to clench her fists.

"Thanks… for the hoodie," she managed and Link set the whetstone aside and proceeded to polish his blade with a cloth. He didn't look up.

"Why were you even out in this weather? Shouldn't you be with Midna and those… people she hangs out with?" he asked coolly.

He made it sound like something unappealing. As though Midna and the others were inadequate in some way. Zelda seethed.

"Shouldn't you be with _Malon_?" she snapped back, hugging herself tighter because of the cold. If her question had bothered Link, he didn't show it. Without looking at her, he continued to polishing his sword. His voice held no emotion.

"Malon isn't here today."

Zelda scowled.

"And I thought you might have been acting out of your own will for a change."

She saw Link freeze; her words had struck him, and she was glad. She _wanted_ a reaction out of him for a change, for him to show her _anything_ other than a blank face.

He set the sword down gently, but didn't lift his eyes from the blade.

"What do you want from me?" he asked quietly, "What do you want me to say?"

"Can you even say _anything_?" Zelda demanded, enjoying seeing the tension in his shoulders, the way he was trying to keep up his emotionless façade. She was nearly there. "I mean, Malon isn't even here to put the words in your mouth for you."

Link's hands were tight fists, trembling; his knuckles were turning white.

"I can speak for myself. I'm not a sheep."

Zelda narrowed her eyes.

"True, you're not a sheep. But tell me, how long have you been Malon's _bitch_?"

She did it. Her words caused a tremor to run through him before he snapped, jumping to his feet and turning to face her. His blue eyes were blazing, furious and he stalked forward, backing Zelda up against the wall, looming over her threateningly. But Zelda didn't feel afraid at all, if anything, she felt exhilarated.

"What do you think you know about me?" he snarled, his eyes boring into hers, but Zelda held his gaze defiantly, nothing like the timid girl she used to be. Normally, she would have been an awkward mess because of their intimate position: Link was leaned in close, his palms were resting on the wall on either side of her head, but not this time.

"Not much," she replied coolly, "But enough to call you an asshole."

His brow furrowed. With confusion? Anger? Zelda wasn't sure.

"I'll tell you a story," she said, "About a prince and a princess." Link said nothing; he only frowned down at her sceptically.

"Once upon a time, there was a lonely prince. He lived in an enormous castle all by himself."

Link's eyes widened.

"Until one day a princess came to live with him. She was tall for her age and pale because she came from a land that was never touched by the sun, with hair the colour of flames." Link's sharp intake of breath didn't deter Zelda, if anything, it urged her on.

"The pair became fast friends. Best friends. They did everything together; they were inseparable. But then one day, the princess had to leave back to her land, and the prince was suddenly alone again. His joy was extinguished from within him as quickly as it had been ignited. When the pair met again, it was like they had never met at all. The prince treated the princess as though she were a stranger to him."

Link paled, letting go of the wall and stumbling backwards. Zelda followed him, matching her steps with his. For every step he took backwards, she took a step forwards.

"He was cruel to the princess, cold. Nothing like the hero she remembered him to be. He had lost his strength, following another girl's bidding like a dog on a leash. And every day, the princess asked herself: _why?_ She had grown too strong to cry, on the outside. But she kept asking herself: _why_?"

Zelda didn't know where all of this was suddenly coming from, but she couldn't stop. She could hear Midna's sobs from the opposite side of the door, the pain and hurt she concealed from everyone. Zelda never wanted to hear her friend sound like that again.

"Why did the boy who had taught her to not be afraid of thunderstorms stab her with words in the form of knives so effortlessly? After everything they had been through together."

Link had gone white; his eyes were enormous like a child's, and glistening. His voice was a whisper.

"Because she left me behind…"

Zelda inhaled sharply. This was it. It all clicked into place. She realised that Link hadn't _known_ that Midna had wanted to take him with her. And he _still_ didn't know. He must have felt so betrayed, abandoned, insignificant.

He needed to know the truth.

"But," Zelda said softly, "The prince hadn't realised, he hadn't known the fight the princess had put up to bring him with her, or to stay. How badly she hadn't wanted to leave him behind, how it ate at her every single day when she was forced to look him. The pain she saw in his eyes…"

She had finished her story.

Link looked like a bucket of icy water had just been poured over his head; his breaths were quick, short and shallow. For a while he only looked at Zelda, opening and closing his mouth as though he couldn't find the right words to say.

Then his shoulders sagged and he suddenly looked very tired. Defeated. His face was eerily blank again, like a slate wiped clean.

"I…" he managed at last, turning his back on Zelda and slowly walking away. His voice was hollow. "I need to go…"

Zelda let him go, hugging herself again as the wind whipped around her, and watching as Link was lost from sight amongst the torrent of rain and snow beyond the small haven.

She realised that he wasn't wearing his hoodie. And that he'd left his sword behind…


	6. Chapter 6 - Blood

CHAPTER 6 - BLOOD

When the rain finally stopped, Zelda carefully picked up Link's sword and made the unpleasant trek back to the castle. Her pants were still wet from the downpour and a single layer wasn't going to protect her from winter's cruel breath. She didn't doubt she'd be sick by the end of the whole ordeal.

She went straight to the girls' dorms. Changing into more layers, but still keeping Link's hoodie on. She wasn't sure why, but she managed to convince herself that it was warmer from her body heat, so it only made sense to keep it on. She discarded the clothes that were still soaked before setting off to return the sword to Link.

She couldn't find him anywhere, and she had looked everywhere. She eventually had to settle for giving it to another boy to leave it in Link's dorm room for him. She felt relieved to see it go as the boy walked away and ran her fingers through her still-damp hair.

Then the bell tower chimed loudly, signalling that dinner was over, and that evening classes had started, and Zelda turned just as a furious looking Malon stormed through an archway.

The redhead's blazing gaze fell on her.

" _You_ ," Malon snarled, breaching the distance between them in two long strides and roughly slamming Zelda into the wall; she was strong. "What did you do to Link? Why is he acting so weirdly?"

"What makes you think it was _me_?" Zelda had to look up at the tall redhead and Malon narrowed her eyes dangerously.

" _You_ had his _sword_. What did you say to him?"

"Get off of me," Zelda shoved Malon away roughly and the redhead gasped with surprise. Zelda supposed that Malon had underestimated her level of newfound confidence.

"I only told him the truth," she said in a low voice, turning her back on the taller girl and making her way to the armoury for weapons training, leaving a stunned Malon behind.

Link was already there, sword in hand. But something was off about him, well, more off than usual at least. Malon hadn't been wrong about that. And it wasn'tthat he was void of his favourite hoodie. Because Zelda was still wearing it. She was almost surprised to see him there.

He looked… hollow. Dead. Not just his usual sullen and moody self and Zelda felt her skin prickle anxiously. Maybe she shouldn't have gotten involved in his and Midna's politics, should have refrained from telling him that story, the truth.

He looked up and met her gaze and Zelda held her breath. Then he looked away again, and Zelda sighed. It wasn't like they'd ever been on speaking terms before, so then why did she feel… disappointed?

Their trainer, Ganon, arrived and barked for them to all line up. He surveyed the line of students sceptically, observing who wasn't there. To say that the enormous man with the powerful glare, bright red beard and bulging muscles was intimidating was an understatement.

"Link," he said at last, "You're with Goth today. Since neither of your partners are here."

Zelda froze. That was right, both Midna _and_ Malon weren't there. Midna, Zelda knew, was still away, but she had no idea why Malon wouldn't be there.

But it meant that she had to spar with Link…

Link nodded wordlessly and Zelda moved to get her bow and arrows from the archery rack hanging on the far side of the room. She understood today's training. She would have to counter Link's sword with her bow, practice fighting up close this time instead of from afar. It was a good thing her bow was made of a light, but incredibly strong silvery metal instead of traditional wood.

"You know the drill. Jackets _off_!" Ganon barked from the opposite end of the room, not at Zelda in particular, but at everyone and Zelda complied, pulling Link's hoodie off and leaving herself only in her training gear: black tee, black ski pants, black trainers.

She moved to join Link, also in gear – a white muscle-tee and grey sweatpants, in the centre of the room with the other partnered pairs, standing opposite to him. He looked distracted, numb, unfocused. Zelda felt a mixture of guilt and worry stir in her stomach. Ganon would lash him for it if he could; he was always the hardest on Link, his 'Hyrule Warrior'. He had always been the most talented when it came to weaponry and combat-

"Take your stances!"

Link snapped into focus, instantly alert, dangerous. The complete opposite of how he'd been only seconds before. His stance was perfect; his eyes were as sharp as his blade. The sudden transformation was unnerving. Zelda felt her eyes widen on their own.

She took a fighting stance. It was only training, for school, so then why was her heart beating so furiously? Link looked like he was out for blood. Was she afraid?

No… So then what was it?

Zelda held her bow at the ready; Link narrowed his eyes.

The whistle blew. The pair lunged for each other.

They were almost upon each other. Zelda swung her bow forward, just as Link did the same with his sword.

Metal met metal. They were both thrown backwards from the force of the collision. Link regained his footing and snarled, lunging again. Zelda ran to meet him. She felt exhilarated; adrenaline was pumping furiously through her veins. She felt _alive_.

But something was wrong.

Link was… vicious. And it didn't feel like a sparring match, at all. Zelda had been right before, Link really was out for blood. He swung his sword again and again and Zelda barely managed to dodge in time in some cases. She had her flexibility and natural agility to thank for remaining unscathed.

Link was fighting a girl, and though Zelda had only recently found that it was wrong to underestimate her, she felt as though Link was really out to injure her. He wanted to make her bleed.

She narrowed her eyes and tightened her grip on her weapon. She needed to get his attention, and the only way to do that, was to make a hit.

Link moved to impale her yet again and Zelda dodged, distracting him with her bow before gracefully spinning on one foot in order to deliver a powerful kick to his chest with the other. She made her hit, and it sent Link flying.

He gasped, winded before lunging again with a roar. Zelda's bow met his sword yet again with sparks and a loud clang, but this time both their weapons went flying out of their grasps.

"Link, are you really going to let Goth beat you?!" Ganon shouted from the side lines, "I want hand-to-hand. Now!"

Zelda barely had time to catch her breath before Link's fist met the side of her face, the other meeting her stomach. She gasped, seeing stars, and staggered backwards, dazed and gasping for air. She had never been _punched_ before. Her head was swimming, her vision was blurred. She tasted blood in her mouth and her lip and lungs felt like they were on fire.

She hadn't realised that all the other pairs had stopped their sparring to watch her and Link. Their cheers all just sounded like a blurred mess mixed with the shrill ringing in Zelda's ears.

She saw Link lunge forward yet again, saw the fury on his face, and in his eyes. But who was he actually even angry at? Why did he want to hurt her so badly? What had she ever done to him to deserve this from him? From anyone. It reminded her too much of her old bullies, of her old life. It made her seethe and see red. Link was nearly upon her, and Zelda clenched her fists. She regained her footing, evened her breathing. Her old self would have just stood there and taken it. But not anymore.

Link reached her just as Zelda had swung her arm back. She dodged his fist lithely, throwing her own fist forward with as much force as she could and returning his blow to the face tenfold with a roar, sending him reeling backwards.

She didn't give him a chance to regain his footing before she shrieked and lunged at him, throwing herself at him and bringing them both to the ground. They wrestled for a while, rolling across the floor as they scratched, kicked and threw punches until Zelda roughly elbowed Link in the ribs, causing him to gasp and cry out.

She straddled his waist, keeping his arms pinned at his sides with her thighs. She punched him, causing his head to jerk to the side.

"That's for Midna!"

She punched him again.

"And that's for everyone else you helped Malon hurt!" Her voice was rising.

She punched him again.

"And that's for _me_!" she screamed at him. She hadn't even realised that she was crying until twin tears dropped onto Link's cheeks. She also hadn't realised that he had actually seized fighting altogether. He could have easily thrown her off of him. He was a lot stronger than her. But he didn't, he hadn't.

Why…?

Zelda raised her fist again, ready to hit him again. To snap him out of his bloodlust and make him see sense. But maybe she had already done that…

His eyes were enormous, shocked as he gazed up at her. There was blood running down the corners of his mouth, his left eye was rapidly turning black, there was a bleeding cut on his cheek. He was panting. But the fury was gone. He was looking up at her with _awe_.

Zelda faltered, her raised fist was trembling. She lowered it slowly. She had finally gotten through to him.

"Link," her voice shook between breaths,

"Who are you so mad at?"

Silence.

"I…" his voice trailed off, like he didn't know the answer, but their eyes stayed locked on each other. He gazed at her tears in wonderment and blinked every time they fell onto his cheeks.

Zelda suddenly felt incredibly tired. Like her body had just gone through a war. Her limbs suddenly felt incredibly heavy and she fell forward onto Link's chest. She hadn't wanted to, but it felt as though all her strength had suddenly drained out of her in one go.

He inhaled sharply, but didn't move.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Goth, Link, are you two okay?" Ganon came running, "Someone call the nurse! _Now_!"

Zelda heard receding footsteps as someone did what the coach asked. She was losing consciousness fast. Link must have hit her harder than she thought; had he concussed her? Her vision was fading at the edges and the multiple voices of the students all taking over each other were becoming less and less audible, and more and more fuzzy.

"Zelda," Link whispered.

"Hmm?"

"I'm sorry…"

But Zelda didn't hear the last part…


End file.
